Steam feed for internal combustion engines



Aug. 23, 1955 H. H. SHIRRELL STEAM FEED FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINESFiled Sept. 7, 1954 INVENTOR HOMER H. $H/RRELL 0 Bow ATTORNEYS UnitedStates Patent STEAll I FEED FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Homer H.Shirrell, Santa Rosa, Calif.

Application September 7, 1954, Serial No. 454,254

4 Claims. (Cl. 12325) This invention relates to a vapor feeding systemfor use in conjunction with an internal combustion engine wherein vaporis generated and introduced into the fuel system at a point between thecarburetor and the combustion chambers so that a mixture of fuel andvapor is fed into said chambers.

It has long been known that the introduction of steam or other vapor incorrect proportions into the combustion chamber of an internalcombustion engine along with the proper amount of fuel makes it possibleto use higher combustion chamber pressures and also to use low octanefuel without causing a detonation which generally appears in the form ofa ping or similar knock. This obviously means greater economy ofoperation because use of higher combustion chamber pressures will resultin greater power output and therefore more mileage per unit of fuel. Italso makes it possible to burn a cheaper fuel which also means a saving.

There are many other advantages to be realized by the addition of vaporinto the combustion chambers, for example, it aids in preventing theformation of carbon, produces a cleaner burning mixture and increasesthe life of the working parts.

It is contemplated that the vapor used in this system may be generatedfrom water, alcohol, peroxide of hydrogen and other suitable liquidswhich will produce the desired effect.

Innumerable arrangements have been made for c0ntrolling the flow ofvapor into the fuel stream so that the optimum amount of vapor iscontinuously fed into the system. It is Well known that at low enginespeed the intake manifold vacuum is relatively high and as the speedincreases the vacuum decreases. Therefore any system that depends onintake vacuum as the sole means of feeding the vapor to the fuel systemwill not operate well over a wide range of speeds and consequentlynumerous methods have been devised for overcoming this. However, most ofthese systems are relatively complicated and entail the use of expensiveand difiicult to install components.

It is therefore one object of this invention to provide a simple andinexpensive system for feeding vapor to the fuel system of an internalcombustion engine wherein compensation is made for varying intake vacuumbrought about by varying engine speeds.

It is another object to provide a vapor feeding system wherein vapor isfed through a vacuum booster pump which is associated with the ordinaryfuel pump to compensate for reduced intake vacuum at high speeds.

Yet another object is to provide a vapor feeding system including aliquid reservoir connected to a vapor generating unit mounted on theexhaust manifold of an internal combustion engine, with conduit meansconnecting the vapor unit to the intake side of a vacuum booster pumpand having conduit means for carrying the vapor from the exhaust side ofthe booster pump to the intake manifold where the vapor and the fuelfrom the carbure- 2,715,894 Patented Aug. 23, 1955 tor are commingledand then introduced into the combustion chambers.

The invention will appear more clearly from the following detaileddescription when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,wherein:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a vehicle fitted with the presentinvention and showing the vehicle components essential for anunderstanding thereof;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of Fig. 1 showing the details ofthe vapor generating unit; and

Fig. 3 is a central vertical section through the vacuum booster pump.

As shown in Fig. 1, this invention is adapted to be used on an ordinarymotor vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine. The motorassembly 10 comprises a cylinder block and head assembly 12 with anintake manifold 14 secured to the upper side thereof and the exhaustmanifold 16 located on the lower side. A downdraft carburetor 18 isconnected to the intake manifold by means of a pipe 20 and the usual aircleaner 22 is secured to the upper side of the carburetor.

A fuel tank 24 is fixed on the rear portion of the vehicle and gasolineis drawn from the tank through tubing 26 by fuel pump 28 and then is fedinto the carburetor 18. The fuel is mixed with air in the carburetor andfed through pipe 20 into the intake manifold 14 then into the combustionchambers and the burned gases pass out the exhaust manifold 16.

The fuel pump 28 has a vacuum booster pump 30 associated therewith formaintaining the necessary vacuum in the windshield wiper motorregardless of the speed of the internal combustion engine. It is wellknown that the intake vacuum decreases as the motor speed increases andit is the function of the booster pump to compensate for this. As themotor speed increases the action of the fuel pump and the vacuum boosterpump associated with it increases. In other words, the vacuum boosterpump becomes more effective at high speeds and hence is an excellentmeans of accurately compensating for reduced intake vacuum at thesespeeds.

As shown in Fig. 3, the vacuum booster pump 30 which is secured to thefuel pump 28, comprises a housing 60 on the bottom of which is secured acap 62. A spring 64 is seated upon a suitable abutment within thehousing and engages diaphragm protecting lower washer 66, said washerhaving a depressed portion 68 to position the spring 64. Upper washer issecured to diaphragm 72 and lower washer 66 by rivets. A stem 74 issuitably secured to the upper washer 70. This stem is adapted to beconnected to the operating means which along with spring 64 reciprocatesthe diaphragm 72 to produce the pumping action. The pump has an inlet76, an outlet 78 and an outlet valve 80. Flexing back and forth ofdiaphragm 72 acts to draw fluid in through inlet 76 and to discharge itthrough outlet 78.

With this in mind, the vapor feeding system of this invention iscontrolled by the vacuum booster pump to effect an optimum feeding ofvapor into the fuel system somewhere beyond the carburetor. A liquidreservoir 32 generally containing water, is connected by tubing 34 to avapor generating unit 36 which is fitted onto the exhaust manifold inheat exchange relationship therewith. This vapor generating unit is moreclearly shown in Fig. 2 and comprises a plurality of coils 38 of tubinghaving good heat transfer characteristics in close contact with theexhaust manifold 16 and a cover of insulating material 40 extending overthe coils 38.

A tube 42 covered by insulating material 44 leads from the vaporgenerating unit 36 to a Y connection 46 in the insulated intake vacuumline 48 leading to inlet 76 of the booster pump 30. The outlet 78 of thebooster pump is connected by insulated tube 50 to pipe 20 locatedbetween the carburetor and the intake manifold.

A valve 52 is located in tubing 34 which connects the reservoir 32 withthe vapor generating unit 36 so as to make it possible to control theflow of the liquid to the generating unit and thereby preliminarilycontrol the amount of vapor introduced in the fuel system. This valve isoperatedby a rod .54 which is slidably carried on the steering column56. l v

In operation, with the valve 52 in the closed position,

the motor is started and the valve 52 is opened to allow liquid to flowintothe vapor generating unit 36. Vapor is produced in the unit andfedthrough insulated tubing 42, Y connection 46 and insulated tubing 48into vacuum booster pump 30, then through the pump and insulated tube 50into the pipe 20 where the vapor is introduced into the air-fuel mixturecoming from the carburetor. 'This mixture of air-fuel and vapor isintroduced into the intake manifold and thence into the variouscombustion chambers. As the speed is increased it is desirable togenerate more vapor'and-the valve 52 is accordingly adjusted to allowthe needed liquid to flow into the vapor generating unit. When the motoris stopped it is generally desirable to close valve 52 so that liquid isnot drawn into the vapor generating unit when the motor is being startedand the exhaust is not. hot enough to supply sufiicient heat to thevapor generating unit to vaporize the liquid. As previously mentionedthe novelty of this invention resides in using the vacuum booster pumpas the means for compensating for decreasing intake vacuum withincreased motor speed. It is contemplated that any type of vaporgenerating unit may be used and there are many types which will proveentirely satisfactory.

There are some automobiles on the road today which have electricwindshield Wiper motors and hence are not equipped with vacuum boosterpumps. In such cases there are several possible ways in which theinventive concept of this invention may be applied to achieve theadvantages of this system. Of course, a fuel pump could be installedwhich has a vacuum booster pump thereon, and secondly, an independentpump may be supplied for this purpose. The only requirement for the useof the independent pump is that its speed be tied in with that of themotor so that the vacuum will increase as motor speed increases.

' Obviously the liquid reservoir may be mounted wherever it isconvenient and may be of any reasonable size depending upon the amountof driving done.

. One of the most desirable features of this feeding arrangement is thatthere are very few components which must be bought to install it on amotor vehicle. A reservoir, various lengths of tubing, some of whichshould be insulated, a Y connection, a valve assembly and a vaporgenerating unit are all the components needed. This coupled with .thefact that the installing of these components is so simple that almostanyone can do it,

also adds greatly to its attractiveness.

This invention has developed a means for obtaining the optimum regulatedflow of steam into the fuel system so as to obtain the maximum inefiiciency and economy. In actual tests an increase in mileage per unitof fuel has been obtained of as much as twenty-five per cent. Theapparatus is fully adjustable, hence it can be set for any type ofdriving operation. This greatly increases the universal appeal of thisinvention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as novel and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A vapor feeding system for use in conjunction with an internalcombustion engine which includes a carburetor and intake manifold forconducting the fuel from the carburetor to the cylinders comprising, incombination: a liquid reservoir, a vapor generating unit, conduit meansfor conducting the liquid from the reservoir to the vapor generator, apump having its inlet connected to the vapor generator, and conduitmeans for conducting the vapor from the exhaust side of the pump to theintake manifold.

2. The invention described in claim 1 wherein the pump derives its powerfrom the internal combustion engine and the pump speed fluctuatesdirectly with the engine speed.

3. A vapor feeding system for use in conjunction with an internalcombustion engine having a gasoline reservoir, a conduit connecting thereservoir with an engine driven fuel pump, saidpump feeding gasoline tothe carburetor, an intake manifold for carrying the fuel from thecarburetor to the cylinders, and an exhaust manifold for discharging theburned gases from the cylinders, said feeding system comprising: aliquid reservoir, a vapor generating unit, conduit means for carryingthe liquid from the reservoir to the vapor generating unit, a vacuumbooster pump operatively connected to the aforementioned fuel pump sothat the effectiveness of the vacuum pump increases as the engine speedincreases, an insulated conduit adapted to carry vapor from the vaporgenerating unit to the inlet side of the booster pump,

and a second insulated conduit adapted to carry vaporfrom the exhaustside of the booster pump to the intake manifold where the vapor isintermingled with the fuel from. the carburetor so that a mixture offuel and vapor is fed into the'cylinders.

4. A vapor feeding system for use in conjunction with an internalcombustion engine having a gasoline tank, a conduit connecting the tankwith an engine driven fuel pump, said pump feeding gasoline to thecarburetor, an intake manifold for carrying the fuel from the carburetorto the combustion chambers, and an exhaust manifold for discharging theburned gases from the combustion chambers, said feeding systemcomprising: a liquid reservoir, a vapor generating unit secured to theexhaust manifold in heat exchange relationship thereto, conduit meansfor carrying the liquid from the reservoir to the vapor generating unit,a valve in the conduit means for controlling the flow of liquid to thevapor generator, a vac-,

uum booster pump operatively connected to the fuel pump so thattheeifectiveness of the vacuum-pump increases as the engine speedincreases, an insulated conduit for carrying vapor from the vaporgenerator to the inlet side of the booster pump, and a second insulatedconduit for carrying the vapor from the exhaust side of the booster pumpto the intake manifold where the vapor is commingled with thefuel fromthe carburetor so that a mixture of fuel and vapor is fed into thecombustion chambers.

No references cited.

